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Job losses are expected to remain high throughout 2021 and into 2022, according to the latest report from the International Labour Organization, released Wednesday.

The United Nations agency said the pandemic pushed more than 100 million more workers into poverty.

The resurgence of coronavirus variants and limited access to COVID-19 vaccines were behind the slowdown in the global job market recovery.  

The ILO said the pandemic would cause a shortfall of 75 million jobs, declining to 23 million in 2022, despite increased economic reopenings and quicker approval of fiscal stimuli in many parts of the world.

Labor markets in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is warning of a continued worker shortage in America brought on by the pandemic. In a report this week, the Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark said, "The worker shortage is real - and it's getting worse by the day". 

The Chamber reported that there were a record 8.1 million job openings in the U.S. in March 2021, and about half as many available workers for each job opening as there have been over the past 20 years.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests removing barriers that prevent people from entering the job market, getting individuals the required skills for open positions, and implementing sensible immigration policies.

U.S. retailers and economic analysts have pointed to a number of factors keeping workers at home, including a lack of adequate child care for parents, continuing health concerns over COVID-19 in offices, and growing demand for better pay and flexibility in working hours and workplace locations.

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